Michigan Audubon is excited to kick off the 2018 Seminar Series with an engaging lineup. Seminars are free and open to the public. Sessions take place on the second Monday of each month from 7 – 8 p.m. at the Michigan Audubon office located at 2310 Science Parkway, Suite 200, Okemos MI, 48864.

Introduction to eBird with Caleb PutnamMarch 12 | 7-8 PM
Join Caleb Putnam, Michigan Bird Conservation Coordinator for Audubon Great Lakes and Michigan DNR, to learn about eBird. Both the website and mobile applications will be discussed. This introduction will have you populating lists and finding species of interest in no time. Not an eBirder yet? The seminar will guide you through the easy steps to register your eBird account!

Birding 101 with Dea ArmstrongApril 9 | 7-8 PM
Interested in exploring skills helpful to beginning birders? Join us for Birding 101, a workshop that will help you learn the basic skills to get started. Topics will include where and when to go birding, binocular use, identification tips, and much more.

Invasive Species in Mid-Michigan: What’s here, what to watch, and what you can do! with Erin PavloskiMay 14 | 7-8 PM
Join us to learn about the Mid-Michigan Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA) and how to identify invasive species you’ll find in our area, as well as new ones to look out for. We’ll also talk about how you can help invasive species management in your community and other invasive species resources.

The Art of Birding “by Ear” with Jim McGrathJune 11 | 7-8 PM
Studying field guides is valuable for identifying wild birds around you, but what about the ones that you can’t see? When you gain the ability to “bird by ear,” you propel yourself to a level of avian awareness that blows away identification by sight alone. Join Nature Discovery’s Jim McGrath for this visually and auditorially-stimulating presentation. Jim will introduce participants to word handles and other tips to help you recognize and remember a host of common birdsongs. At the presentation’s conclusion, weather permitting, participants are invited to step outside and begin to put their newly-gained skills to work. Don’t forget your binoculars! Don’t have binoculars? No worries! We’ll have extras on hand.

Lobbying on Behalf of Birds with Brian MerlosJuly 9 | 7-8 PM
Audubon’s Field Organizer program is a nationwide initiative that began in 2016 to grow our grassroots influence in helping to protect birds and the places they need. This presentation, provided by Michigan Field Organizer Brian Merlos, will expound upon Audubon’s long history of activism as well as provide an update on the legislative obstacles birds currently face. We hope to provide you with the tools and resources to help birds overcome these threats by taking action at the local, state, and federal levels.

Stay tuned for more information about additional seminar sessions to be scheduled for the fall.